As well as using specific exercises and physiotherapy advice, it is also important to think about other contributing factors that may be having an impact on your Musculoskeletal Pain. Sedentary behaviours, carrying excess weight, poor sleeping patterns, and smoking and alcohol intake can have negative effects on pain. There are lots of useful links to help you stay active, sleep well and have a more healthy lifestyle:
Love Activity, Hate Exercise? - Making Activity Happen
NHS Choices Fitness Studio Exercise Videos
The Physiotherapy Good Sleep Guide
Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland - Health Eating Guide
NHS Borders Wellbeing Service offers support to people who wish to improve their lives in one or more of the following areas:
- Mental health and wellbeing
- Being more active
- Eating more healthily
- Quitting smoking
Making changes in your life can be difficult and our trained advisers will offer you support and encouragement to live well. Our advisers offer programmes of support from 1 to 12 sessions where they will use appropriate skills and tools to help you to make changes in your lifestyle.
The integrated Wellbeing Service provides evidence based interventions supporting lifestyle change and emotional wellbeing. These services were previously provided by three different services:
- Quit your way (QYW) – smoking cessation services
- LASS –lifestyle advice and support to increase physical activity, reduce weight and eat healthily
- Doing Well (DW) – support to improve low to moderate mental wellbeing
This srvice is provided in GP practices in Primary Care and community venues. The existing provision has been extended to ensure an equitable service to all GPs in sites across the Borders.
Please visit the NHS Borders Wellbeing Page for further information on how to access the service.
Live Borders 
Live Borders is a charity aimed to provide residents and visitors to the Scottish Borders a wealth of services that inspire us all to be healthier, happier and stronger through the use of their libraries, sports centres, pools, museums, galleries and archives, country parks and community venues.
Live Borders has a passion and drive to improve the health and wellbeing of everyone living in the Scottish Borders. They have various programmes that can support people into leading heathier, happier and stronger lifestyles. They recognise that being active while coping with a long-term health condition is never easy and this is why they offer suitable and supported options at a discounted rate. Their goal is to give you the tools to lead a healthy and active lifestyle by reducing your risk of developing further health issues.
Live Borders is working in partnership with NHS Borders, Macmillan Cancer Support and various other charities to provide these activities. Please speak to your local healthcare professional to refer you into this programme or contact the Live Borders Health Team to discuss further.
Click on the following links to learn more about the various programmes Live Borders provides and how you can access them;
Health and physical activity programme